Ford F-150 Lightning vs. Tesla, Chevy, GMC and Rivian: Electric Pickup Truck Specs Compared – Roadshow [CNET]

2022 Ford F-150 Lightning defines a segment

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Performance

Ford is targeting 563 horsepower for the extended range battery and 775 pound-feet of torque for both the standard and extended battery in its F-150 Lightning. That’s more powerful than the F-150 Raptor and the most torque ever for an F-150. Heck, that’s even more torque than the 6.2-liter and 7.3-liter V8 engines offered in the Ford Super Duty. The company expects the Lightning to turn in a brisk 0-to-60-mph time in the mid-4-second range. However, Ford admits those are the numbers for the extended-range battery-pack model — probably the one President Joe Biden drove. Look for the standard-range model to produce 426 hp and have a commensurately slower scoot to 60 mph.

The Tesla Cybertruck’s top trim packs three motors, and while Tesla has yet to confirm final power figures, Tesla says its truck will sprint to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds. We feel confident that the truck will eclipse the Model S in terms of power. By how much? It’s anyone’s guess, especially since Tesla hasn’t even finalized engineering on the truck yet.

Craving more 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning news? We’ve got you covered:

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• How the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning Can Power Your House for Days
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• How to Reserve the 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning
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• Ford F-150 Lightning Electric Pickup Gets EPA Range Estimates

GMC says its Hummer EV will pack a whopping 1,000 hp and 11,500 lb.-ft. Of course, that impressive torque number is likely misleading, in that it almost certainly refers to axle torque, which generally results in a significantly higher number than the SAE-certified spec the auto industry commonly uses. (Let Engineering Explained’s Jason Fenske tell you what we mean.) GMC says it’ll be enough to propel the absolutely massive EV to 60 mph in three seconds flat.

The Hummer EV’s electric cousin, the 2024 Chevy Silverado EV, carries slightly lower figures in its RST First Edition trim, which will be the first customer-oriented trim to leave the production line in Detroit. Here, its two electric motors combine to produce up to 664 hp and 780 lb.-ft., which means there will be plenty of pep in its step. 

The Rivian R1T is no slouch in the power department, either. The top-spec, quad-motor truck will make an estimated 800+ hp and 900+ lb.-ft. of torque, enough to go from a dead stop to 60 mph in three seconds.

Here’s the Rivian R1T electric pickup truck in action off-road

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Range

When it comes to people’s perception of electric vehicles, there is perhaps no metric more critical to potential customers than range. That’s true even most people won’t go more than a couple dozen miles in their day-to-day lives. The Ford F-150 Lightning will eke 300 miles of range out of its extended battery pack (or 230 miles if the buyer opts for the standard battery). Ford hasn’t given us the specific kilowatt-hour rating of each battery option, but the F-150 is the first EV to come standard with an 80-amp home charging system that can add 30 miles of range in an hour and a full charge overnight. On a 150-kW DC fast charger, the extended-range F-150 can add 54 miles of range in 10 minutes. The Lightning can also provide up to 9.6 kW of power to keep your tools, tailgating toys or your entire home full of juice.

However, the F-150 can’t compete with the Tesla Cybertruck’s claimed 500 miles of range on the top-tier Tri-Motor version. Of course, that’s purely speculation for now, as the vehicle is still in development and all we have is Tesla’s aging estimates.

GMC says the 2022 Hummer EV will have an estimated range of 329 miles with its three-motor setup. GMC also says that the Hummer EV is compatible with 350-kW DC fast charging, which can put about 100 miles of range into the battery in 10 minutes. 

The Chevrolet Silverado EV is just a hair better than the Hummer EV, as its lithium-ion battery should provide an estimated 400 miles of range for both the RST First Edition and WT variants at launch. The Silverado EV will be able to accept up to 350 kW charging, which means it can add about 100 miles of range in 10 minutes. That said, if you need to use that power for a jobsite or a campsite instead, the truck can feed 10.2 kW of power to up to 10 devices.

The Rivian R1T claims 400 miles of range from its highest-spec model with a 135-kWh battery. The company is planning its own Rivian Adventure Network for exclusive charging of the R1T and R1S SUV. These 200-kW chargers (300-kW chargers are planned), can put 140 miles of range in the battery in 20 minutes. Rivian expects to build 3,500 chargers in 600 locations throughout the US and Canada by the end of 2023.

GMC Hummer EV is a 1,000-hp super truck that moves laterally like a crab

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Payload and towing

The 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning targets 10,000 pounds of towing capability on XLT and Lariat trims with the extended-range battery and the Max Trailer Tow package. To make towing easier, the Lightning debuts a new Pro Trailer Hitch Assist system that controls the steering, throttle and brakes, lining the tow ball to the hitch without any driver input. We haven’t tested this tech yet but it sounds pretty dope, especially for those unfamiliar with towing.

Tesla claims to be able to lug 14,000 pounds in the Cybertruck’s Tri-Motor trim. That handily beats out the F-150 Lightning as well as the Rivian, which claims 11,000 pounds.

As for payload, the Lightning is estimated to haul 2,000 pounds in its bed and frunk with the standard-range battery. What’s really cool here is the available Onboard Scales technology that estimates your current payload, does a bunch of math and spits out your projected range with the load you’re carrying.

Tesla claims the Cybertruck will be able to handle 3,500 pounds of payload in its bed, which can be fully sealed and locked thanks to a sliding cover. The Rivian is way behind here: It’s able to haul 1,760 pounds. The Rivian’s bed does have a power lockable tonneau cover, however, so all your gear is protected from thievery.

The Chevrolet Silverado EV is definitely a contender when it comes to towing and payload, although it’s not going to win the category outright — yet, at least. When it launches, the Silverado EV RST will be able to tow 10,000 pounds, but its bed is only rated for 1,300 pounds of payload. Some help will come later on, when Chevrolet expands the Silverado EV WT line to include a max-towing package that can pull up to 20,000 pounds, but that has yet to be fully announced.

GMC says the Hummer EV can tow 7,500 pounds and haul 1,300 pounds in its bed. One key missing bit of info from all of these manufacturers, though, is range at these payload- and towing-capacity targets. The industry hasn’t exactly sorted out a standardized testing methodology on this, one that is definitely going to be needed. 

2024 Chevy Silverado EV RST is a $100,000 wundertruck

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Pricing

When it comes to price, it looks like the Ford F-150 will be king, with a low price of just $41,669, including a destination charge of $1,695. Remarkably, that makes the Lightning less expensive than an equivalent gas-powered 2021 F-150 XL SuperCrew 4WD (all Lightnings come standard with four driven wheels). Plus, that surprisingly low base price is before any tax incentives, including the $7,500 federal tax credit. A fully loaded model will likely start at around $92,000, which isn’t cheap, but from a value perspective, the Lightning looks mighty attractive.

Tesla promises that its rear-wheel-drive Cybertruck will start “under $40,000,” but we’ve heard this kind of talk from Tesla before. Remember that $30,000 Model 3? It took years to arrive and only stuck around for what seemed like weeks. Tesla isn’t yet offering full pricing for its more expensive Cybertruck trims, but we wouldn’t be surprised to see them climb into six digits.

The GMC Hummer EV costs $112,595 including destination, but that’s for the fancy Edition 1. Less powerful, lower-range and much less-expensive versions will follow in the coming months and years. The Chevy Silverado EV is in the same boat, launching the RST First Edition trim to start, which will cost a buyer $105,000 before destination. The WT trim will come a bit later at a price of $39,900 before destination and Chevrolet says other trims will have an MSRP of anywhere from $50,000-$80,000.

Rivian’s R1T will start at $67,500 for the recently announced two-motor Explore package while the Adventure package goes for $73,000. A large battery package with 320 miles of range adds $6,000 to the bottom line, while the max pack with its 400 miles of range will add a whopping $16,000 to the price. (Rivian reservation holders who got in line before March 1, 2022 will still get the significantly lower pricing that they were initially promised.)